Job summary
The Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment service meets the needs of individual's living in Hertfordshire who are experiencing a crisis in relation to their mental health. The service provides a multidisciplinary approach in understanding their difficulties and formulating and implementing brief interventions to support the crisis to resolve.
We are looking for a caring and committed Assistant Psychologist to work alongside Psychological Services and the multi-disciplinary team in supporting psychological ways of thinking.
The role will suit someone who enjoys working flexibly and in collaboration as part of a multidisciplinary team. Willingness to work in community settings is vital, including service users own homes.
If you have the relevant skills, are energetic, imaginative and, above all, care passionately about working with individuals and their families towards recovery, then we want to hear from you!
The role is based across the North-West and South-WestCrisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams based in Hemel Hempstead and Watford respectively. Psychology is highly valued and sought after in these teams. You will form part of a vibrant, passionate, and supportive psychology crisis service that consists of other Assistant Psychologists, CBT Therapists, Clinical / Counselling Psychologists and a Psychology Lead.
We don't want you to miss out - Apply now!
Please note: Advert may close earlier due to high volume of applicant.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will:
o Support the psychological practitioners to provide a specialist psychology service to service users who are currently in a mental health crisis and are being supported by the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams.
o Provide structured, 1:1 interventions using guided self-help and psycho-education to service users with the crisis teams.
o Support the delivery of psychological groups tailored for service users currently experiencing a mental health crisis.
o Provide compassionate care that is based on empathy, kindness, respect and dignity, and underpinned by principles of recovery and knowledge of trauma informed ways of working.
o Support the development and roll out of Trauma Informed Approaches across HPFT crisis services as we change the question people ask from "What's wrong with you?" to "What'shappened to you?"
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission.
Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To attend and contribute to appropriate team and multi-disciplinary meetings.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.To maintain HPFT psychological records using the electronic patient record system.
- To perform other duties, appropriate to their grade, that may be required from time to time by the supervising Clinical Psychologist.
- To work flexibly, in response to service user needs as agreed with the Service.
For a more detailed description of the role, please see attached the JD and PS.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To attend and contribute to appropriate team and multi-disciplinary meetings.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.To maintain HPFT psychological records using the electronic patient record system.
- To perform other duties, appropriate to their grade, that may be required from time to time by the supervising Clinical Psychologist.
- To work flexibly, in response to service user needs as agreed with the Service.
For a more detailed description of the role, please see attached the JD and PS.
Person Specification
Knowledge, Training & Experience
Essential
- An honours degree in Psychology with entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
- Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
- Experience of work with people with mental health and/or other disabilities in a care setting
- An understanding of psychology applied to a mental health context
- Experience of working with people in group settings.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, therapeutic approaches and/ or research design and analysis
- Experience of paid work within a direct care provision.
- A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology.
- Experience of undertaking a research project
- Experience of working within acute adult mental health
Communication Skills
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to service users, carers, and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
- An ability to interact with people with mental health problems
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
Desirable
- Experience using computers for databases or data - analysis, especially Microsoft Excel and SPSS for Windows
- High standard of report writing.
- Competence using IT and media equipment
Analytical Skills
Essential
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context.
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable
- Experience of problemsolving models and methods used by psychologists, for example, solution focused and/ or systemic approaches
Person Specification
Knowledge, Training & Experience
Essential
- An honours degree in Psychology with entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
- Ability to work independently, reliably, and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
- Experience of work with people with mental health and/or other disabilities in a care setting
- An understanding of psychology applied to a mental health context
- Experience of working with people in group settings.
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, therapeutic approaches and/ or research design and analysis
- Experience of paid work within a direct care provision.
- A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology.
- Experience of undertaking a research project
- Experience of working within acute adult mental health
Communication Skills
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to service users, carers, and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
- An ability to interact with people with mental health problems
- An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
Desirable
- Experience using computers for databases or data - analysis, especially Microsoft Excel and SPSS for Windows
- High standard of report writing.
- Competence using IT and media equipment
Analytical Skills
Essential
- An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context.
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
Desirable
- Experience of problemsolving models and methods used by psychologists, for example, solution focused and/ or systemic approaches
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer details
Employer name
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address
North West Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team
St Pauls, Slippers Hill
Hemel Hempstead
HP2 5XY
Employer's website
https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)
